The Impact of Ecotourism in the Khlong Nam Sai Area on the People of Laem Som Community, Nong Thale Subdistrict, Mueang District, Krabi Province

Abstract

            This research aimed to 1) examine the impacts of ecotourism in the Khlong Nam Sai area, and to 2) investigate guidelines for ecotourism development in the aforementioned zone. The study was conducted in Ban Laem Som community, Nong Thale Subdistrict, Mueang District, Krabi Province. Purposive sampling was employed to select key informants, comprising the community forest committee chairman, residents of Ban Laem Som Village, and kayak boat operators. An in-depth interview guide was used as the research instrument, and the data were analyzed using content analysis and presented in descriptive narrative form.

            The findings revealed the following tourism impacts: 1) Social impacts positive impacts included a rise in popularity of the Khlong Nam Sai tourist attraction after the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted community members to develop their English language skills, fostered the creation of handicrafts to support local livelihoods, and strengthened relationships between the community forest committee chairman and business operators. Negative impacts included revenue distribution conflicts and inadequate road infrastructure. 2) Economic impacts positive impacts included tourist attraction development, income generation, and reduced out-migration among community members; however, inequitable revenue distribution among kayak operators produced inter-group conflicts. 3) Environmental impacts the area maintained a thriving ecosystem and sufficiently clean water quality for municipal water production but this could result in an increase of waste and pollution, damage to trees caused by kayaks, and disruption to the natural feeding behavior of aquatic animals. The guidelines for tourism development were as follows: 1) Social dimension  recommendations included promoting community participation, enforcing vehicle speed limits, and installing safety warning signs. 2) Economic dimension policies should be implemented to regulate operators fairly and to mitigate conflicts among them. 3) Environmental dimension systematic area management should be established, environmental conservation education should be provided to both community members and operators, and tourist numbers should be strictly controlled.